Photoelectric coin registering device



April 1941- A. B. CHRISTENSEN 7,

PHOTOELECTRIC COIN REGISTERING DEVICE Filed Dec. 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. B. CHRISTENSEN PHOTOELECTRIC COIN REGISTERING DEVICE Filed Dec. 28, 1939 .3 PIE Q- PIE 5 April 1, 1941.,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 1, 1941 PHOTOELECTRIC COIN REGISTERING DEVICE Andrew B. Christensen, North Tonawanda, N. Y., assignor to The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation Application December 28, 1939, Serial No. 311,343

1'7 Claims. (Cl. 250-415) This invention relates to a coin registering device which is generally useful for the control of automatic musical instruments and other coin operated machines in which a service is rendered or a commodity is dispensed in accordance with value of coins received.

One object of the invention is to provide means for registering the value of coins received without requiring the coins to operate electric switches or to do other mechanical work. This is particularly important in cases in which a single coin is required to register a plurality of unit values. The mechanical energy available in the dropping of a coin through a reasonable distance is very small and when the coin must perform multiple operations the energy available for each operation is even smaller. Moving parts to be operated by the weight of the coin must be extremely light and correspondingly fragile.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coin device which is operated by a falling coin but which need not be set in an exactly oriented position for successful operation. In the majority of coin operated devices it is necessary that the device be set with the coin chute plumb or in some other predetermined position. Any departure from the predetermined orientation causes a variation in the kinetic energy of the coin available for operating mechanical parts and contributes to failures of such operation.

These objects are attained in the present invention by substituting for mechanical switch elements an electrical arrangement controlled by a beam of light impinging upon a photocell and so directing the path of the light and the path of the coin that a coin of a given denomination intercepts the beam 2. number of times proportionate to the value of the service or commodity to be rendered in exchange for said coin. The

reduction of current flow through the photocell the coin is the interception of the light beam and this of course absorbs no mechanical energy. Provision is made whereby coins of different denominations may intercept the same light beam a different number of times. Since variations in the energy of the coin are unimportant, the device operates in any position in which the coin may be made to pass through the light beam and accurate orientation is unnecessary.

Another object of the invention is to make provision against tampering with the registration of coin values by manipulation of power supply.

Means are provided for preventing the inter ruption of the photocell circuit from operating the registering means when that interruption is caused by breaking the power supply circuit. Thus, power may be supplied to the device by means of the usual plug inserted in a wall receptacle without danger of false coin values being registered by removing and reinserting the plug to cause a momentary cessation in the photocell current.

Other objects and features of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a coin chute and associated parts for use with the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevational View thereof. Figs. 3, 4.- and 5 are perspective views of three of the members. Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram, in conventional form, of electric circuits for use with the invention. Fig. 7 is a simplified diagram in across-the-line form of the electronic circuits only of Fig. 6.

In the preferred form of the invention shown in the drawings by way of illustration, there is provided a coin chute l0 made up of a plurality of plates H, I2, is and i l secured together in any suitable manner. A plurality of apertures l5 herein shown as five in number are formed in each of said plates and are positioned to register with each other when the plates are assembled.

Each of the plates H, l2 and i3 has formed therein a guideway for a coin of a given denomination. Plate H (Fig. 3) carries the guideway it for a larger denomination of coin-for 8X ample, a quarter dollar, and is shaped to receive the coin at the top of the plate, conduct it past all of the live apertures 15 and discharge it at H at the bottom of the chute. Plate I? (Fig. 4) carries the guideway 18 for an intermediate denominationfor example, a dime, and is shaped to conduct the coin from the top of the chute past two of the apertures l5 and discharge the same at l9. Plate l3 (Fig. 5) carries the guideway 25 for a five cent piece and conducts the coin past only one of the apertures l5 and discharges it at 25. When the plates are assembled, plates i2 and 53 form closures for the sides of guideways it and I8 and plate M similarly closes guideway 29.

Adjacent the upper end of the chute Hi there is provided a bracket 22 supporting a socket 23 in which there is mounted an exciter lamp 2 3. Adjacent the bottom of the chute Hi there is provided a bracket carrying an opaque hood 25 in which there is mounted a photocell 2?. Four right prisms 28 which may be formed of optical glass or other material having similar properties are clamped to the chute ID by clamps 29. Each prism i arranged and properly shaped to receive a beam of light from one of the apertures E5, to divert the beam by internal reflection through a total angle of 180 and to direct the deflected beam through the next lower aperture i5. The upper prism receives light from the lamp 25 through a tube 30 and through the upper apertures l5 and returns the beam to the opposite side of the chute I through the second of said apertures. Similarly, each of the prisms changes the direction of the beam of light and the lowermost directs the beam through the lowermost of the apertures l into a tube 34 leading to the photocell housing 26. The path of the light beam is indicated by the line 32 in Fig. 1. While the use of prisms as just described is at present preferred, equivalent results may be obtained by a suitable arrangement of mirrors, or bent rods of fused quartz or the transparent plastic known as Lucite may be employed. Both of these substances have the property of conducting light through a path of varying direction by internal reflection and are thus the equivalent of the prisms specifically described.

The apertures [5 are of proper size and so placed that each coin completely blanks the apertures passed in its travel through its appropriate guideway and so momentarily cuts off the beam of light to the photocell each time it passes an aperture. The variations in electrical properties of the photocell caused by the variations in light received thereby are made use of by means of electrical apparatus hereinafter described to control the operation of a coin register unit. While the usual type of photocell having light sensitive resistance characteristics is preferably used, still it is possible to use other photo-sensitive devices such as a photo-voltaic cell and such devices are intended to be included in the term photocell as used in the claims.

Preferably the apertures l5 are placed in the staggered positions best seen in Figs. 3 to 5 and the coin guideways are shaped to change direction at the points at which they pass said apertures. At such points the velocity of the coin is momentarily checked so that the light beam is intercepted for a longer period of time than would be the case if the coin were allowed to drop freely. It is entirely possible, however, to permit the coins to drop through vertical guideways if electrical apparatus of suitable sensitivity is provided.

Referring now to Fig. 6, there is illustrated therein one form of electrical wiring by means of which the operation of a coin controlled machine may be effected in response to the interceptions of the light beam just described. A plug M has connected thereto a pair of power lines ll and 42 and may be connected toany suitable source of current such as the usual wall outlet carrying 110 volts 60 cycle alternating current. Said power lines are connected to the primary winding 53 of a transformer which has a secondary winding 44 adapted to supply a suitable voltage for operation of the exciter lamp 24. Said secondary winding is connected to the exciter lamp by conductors 45 and 46 and is also connected to the heating filaments of a pair of electron discharge tubes 41 and 48. The filament and the points to which they are connected are indicated by the legends F, the actual conductors being omitted.

The transformer is also provided with a secondary winding 49 adapted to supply suitable voltage for operating a magnet coil 55. Said coil may be the usual coin registry magnet of the magazine switch used for the operation of an automatic phonograph and which operates said magazine switch to register a unit of coin value each time the magnet 50 is energized. The construction and operation of such magazine switches are well known and form no part of the present invention. One such unit suitable for the purpose is disclosed in Fig. 18 of Wilcox Patent No. 2,002,236 in which magnet I58 is the coin registry magnet corresponding to the magnet 50 in the present disclosure. The magnet 50 may be taken to represent any well known form of electrically operated coin registry unit.

A pair of electromagnetic relays 5| and 52 are provided, the relay 5| being adapted when energized to open a normally closed switch 53 and. close a normally open switch 54, and the relay 52 when energized being adapted to close a pair of normally open switches 55 and 55.

The tubes 41 and 48 are of a well known type commercially designated as 25A7 and commonly used for a combination of amplification and rectification. The tube 41 is provided with a rectifier cathode 5'! and anode 58 and with an amplifying cathode 59 and anode 65. A con trol grid BI is interposed between the cathode 5S and anode 50 and performs the usual function of controlling passage of current between anode and cathode. A screen grid 52 and a suppressor grid 63 are also provided and are connected in a conventional manner. Both cathodes 51 and 59 are heated by the filament F from the secondary winding 44 of the transformer. Similarly the tube 48 is provided with a rectifier cathode 65, a rectifier anode 65, an amplifier cathode 58, an amplifier anode 61, a control grid 68, screen grid 69 and suppressor grid 70. The circuits associated with the tubes M and 48 include resistance units H, 12, '53, M, 15 and 16 and condensers 11, 18 and 79 all connected as shown in the diagram and whose function will be apparent from the following description of operation.

Theoperation of the electronic circuits can best be understood by reference to the simplified diagram, Fig. 7, in which the rectifier elements and amplifier elements of the tubes are divorced from each other, the screen and suppressor grids are omitted and the normal directions of current flow through all of the electrical elements are indicated by arrows. When an alternating voltage is applied to the power lines ii and $2, a rectified current is produced in the rectifier circuits of the tubes 41 and 48. For tube 4 1, the rectifier circuit is line 42, resistance 12, resistance 13, anode 58, cathode 57, line M. For tube 48 the circuit is line 42, resistance 15, anode 55, cathode 64, line 4|. A circuit including the photocell 2'! and resistance 1! is connected between the two rectifier circuits as shown and the values of resistances i2, 13 and E6 are so chosen that there is a potential difference between the terminals of said circuit sufiicient to pass an appreciable current therethrough when the photocell is illuminated. Each time the beam of light to the photocell is intercepted by a coin the current flowing in said circuit is materially reduced.

The tube 41 is provided with an anode-cathode circuit consisting of cathode 59, resistance 12, resistance l4, anode 60. The voltage drop in resistance 12 due to flow of rectified current therein provides the necessary potential difierence to cause current flow in said circuit, said flow being controlled by the potential of grid 6 I Grid 6! and cathode d are connected to opposite terminals of resistance H and the photocell current passing through said resistance normally maintains the potential of grid 6! sufficiently below that of the cathode 59 to permit only a minimum current fiow in the anode-cathode circuit 59, I2, M, 60. Each time the photocell 21 is darkened, current flow in resistance 1| is momentarily decreased, the potential of grid BI is correspondingly increased and a larger current is permitted to fiow momen" tarily in said anode-cathode circuit.

The tube 48 is provided with an anode-cathode circuit (line 4!, relay coil 5! and resistor 75 in parallel, anode 6?, cathode 66, line 42) in which a rectified current may flow under control of the potential of grid 68. Grid 68 and cathode 65 are connected to opposite terminals of resistance 14. When minimum current is flowing in said resistance the potential of grid 68 is only slightly less than that of cathode $6 and sufiicient current flow is permitted in the anode-cathode circuit 6'5, 56 to energize relay coil 5|. Thus said coil is normally maintained in an energized condition. Each time the photocell 27 is darkened, the resulting increase in current flow through resistance it decreases the potential of grid 58. The fiow of current in said anode-cathode circuit is thereby momentarily decreased suiiiciently to deenergize the relay coil 5! and permit a momentary actuation of the switches operated thereby.

The operation of the remainder of the electrical apparatus can best be understood by reference to Fig. 6 in which the relay operated switches 53,

54, 55 and 56 are shown in their normal positions assumed when the plug til is disconnected from the source of power, and the relay magnets 55 and 52 are deenergized. When said plug is connected to an appropriate power socket, no circuits are immediately completed through switches. The exciter lamp 2:: and the filaments of the tubes M and 38, however, are connected for operation and the photocell circuits are energized as previously described. When photocell current has reached its normal. value, the relay coil 5i is energized as previously described to open switch 53 and close switch Said switches are so arranged that switch M is not closed until switch 53 has been opened. The closing of switch '54 completes a circuit for the relay coil 52, (power line H, switch 54, conductor 8 relay coil 52, conductor 8i, power line 4-2). The operation of relay 52 closes switches 55 and 55. Switch 55 is in parallel with switch 54 and so maintains relay coil 52 in energized condition as long as power supply lines 4! and 42 remain unbroken even though switch 54 is later opened. The closing of switch 55 has no immediate result.

When a coin passes one of the apertures the relay coil 5! is momentarily deenergized. permitting a momentary opening of switch 54% and a momentary closing of switch 53. The operation of switch 54 has no result since the parallel connected switch i is closed. The closure of switch 53 completes a circuit for the coin registry magnet 56 (transformer winding conductor 82, switch 55, switch 53, conductor magnet 58. conductor 84, transformer winding 4%). The momentary actuation of said circuit causes the magnet 50 to register a coin value in a well known manner. The inclusion of switch in this circuit insures that no coin value will be registered when the plug 45 is first inserted in a power socket, even though switch 53 is always closed at that time and remains closed until normal photocell current is established and the thermionic circuits have operated to energize the relay coil 5|. Switch 55 cannot be closed until an actuation of relay coil 54 to close switch 5 has taken place. Since switch 53 is always opened before switch 54 is closed, the normal operating conditions of the apparatus must be restored before an actuation of the coin registry unit can take place. The two switches 55 and 53 in this circuit are thus interlocked so that the operation of closing switch 55 cannot take place while switch 53 is closed. The most important result of this interlocking arrangement is the fact that coin values cannot be registered by removing the plug 40 from its socket and then reinserting the same even though such manipulation cuts off the current in the photocell circuit in much the same manner that said current is cut off by the passage of a coin through the light beam. Thus, cheating the device by tampering with the power supply is prevented.

The invention has been described in its present preferred form, the details of which may be varied without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In coin controlled apparatus, a photocell, an exciter lamp positioned to project a beam of light thereon, and means adapted to guide a coin moving under the infiuence of gravity in a path intersecting said beam of light at a plurality of points on the path of said beam.

2. In coin controlled apparatus, a photocell, an exciter lamp, means forming a guideway adapted to guide a moving coin in a predetermined path, and means directing a beam of light from said lamp to said photocell in a path intersecting said coin path at a plurality of points on the path of said beam.

3. In coin controlled apparatus, a photocell, an exciter lamp, means forming a guideway adapted to guide a moving coin in a predetermined path, and means adapted to direct a beam of light from said lamp to said photocell in a path of varying direction intersecting the path of said coin at a plurality of points.

4. In coin controlled apparatus, a photocell, an exciter lamp, means forming a guideway adapted to guide a moving coin in a predetermined path, said path changing direction at a plurality of points, and means directing a beam of light from said lamp to said photocell in a path intersecting the coin path at a plurality of said points.

5. In coin controlled apparatus, a photocell, means forming a guideway adapted to guide a moving coin in a predetermined path confined to a substantially vertical plane, and means adapted to direct a beam of light onto said photocell through a path passing from one side of said plane to the other and return and intersecting the coin path in its passage through said plane in both directions.

6. In coin controlled apparatus, a coin chute having a plurality of apertures transverse to the direction of movement of said coin and adapted to be successively blanked by a coin passing through said chute, means directing a beam of light successively through said apertures, and a photocell positioned to receive said beam after its passage through the last of said apertures.

7. In coin controlled apparatus, a coin chute having a plurality of light conducting apertures therethrough and having a plurality of coin passageways for coins of difierent values arranged in parallel planes transverse to the axes of said apertures, the passageway for coins of one value intersecting a plurality of said apertures and said coins blanking said apertures in their passage, and the passageway for coins of a smaller value similarly intersecting one or more but not all of the apertures intersected by said first mentioned passageway, means directing light through said apertures, and photocell means receiving said light after its passage through said apertures'.

8. In coin controlled apparatus, a coin chute hiaving a plurality or light conducting apertures therethrough and having a plurality of coin passageways for coins of different values arranged in substantially parallel planes transverse to the axes of said apertures, the passageway for coins of one value intersecting a plurality of said apertures and'said coins blanking said apertures in their passage and the passageway for coins of smaller value similarly intersecting one or more but not all of the apertures intersected by said first mentioned passageway, means directing a beam of light successively through all of said apertures, and a photocell receiving said beam after its passage through the last of said apertures.

9. In coin controlled apparatus, an electrically operated coin register device, a'circuit for actuating said device, said circuit including a pair of relay operated switches, a coin receiver, a photocell receiving a beam of light adapted to be momentarily interrupted each time a coin is received in said receiver, a photocell circuit in which current flow is materially reduced each time said light beam is interrupted, electrical apparatus controlled by current fiow in said photocell circuit and adapted to close momentarily one of said relay operated switches in response to each such reduction in photocell current, a relay operating the second of said relay operated switches, power supply lines supplying energy for said photocell circuit, and a circuit receiving energy from said power lines and operating said relay to close its switch when said power lines are intact and to open its switch when either of the power lines is broken, whereby an operation of said coin register device by cessation of current in the photocell circuit due to opening of said power lines is prevented.

10. In coin controlled apparatus, an electrically operated coin register device, a circuit for actuating said device, said circuit including a pair of relay operated switches, a coin receiver, a photocell receiving a beam of lightadapted to be momentarily interrupted each time a coin is received in said receiver, a photocell circuit in which current flow is materially reduced each time said light beam is interrupted, electrical apparatus controlled by current flow in said photocell circuit and adapted to close momentarily one of said relay operated switches in response to each such reduction in photocell current, a relay operating the second of said relay operated switches, power supply lines supplying energy for said photocell circuit, a circuit receiving energy from said power lines and operating said relay to close its switch when said power lines are intact and to open its switch when either of the power lines is broken, and means interlocking said relay operated switches to' prevent closure of the second of said switches after saidp'ower lines have been opened and closed until the first of said switches has been opened, whereby an operation of said coin register device by cessation of current in the photocell circuit due to openmg of said power lines is prevented. 7

11. In coin controlled apparatus, an electrically operated coin register device, a coin receiver, a photocell receiving a beam of light adapted to be momentarily interrupted each time a coin is received in said receiver, a photocell circuit in which current flow is materially reduced each time said light beam isinterrupted, power supply lines supplying energy for said photocell circuit, electrical apparatus controlled by current flow in said photocell circuit and normally operating said coin register device in response to each such reduction in photocell current, and interlocking means associated with said electrical apparatus and preventing operation of said register device after an initial closure of said power lines until normal photocell current has once been established.

12. In coin controlled apparatus, an electrically operated coin register device, a coin receiver, a photocell receiving a beam of light adapted to be momentarily interrupted each time a coin is received in said receiver, a photocell circuit in which current flow is materially reduced each time said light beam is interrupted, power supply lines supplying energy for said photocell circuit, electrical apparatus controlled by current flow in said photocell circuit and normally operating said coin register device in response to each such reduction in photocell current, and time delay means associated with said electrical apparatus and adapted to prevent operation of said register device after said power lines have been opened and reclosed until normal photocell current has been reestablished.

13. In coin controlled apparatus, an electrically operated coin register device, a coin receiver, a coin controlled electric circuit in which the current flow is momentarily reduced each time a coin is received in said receiver, power supply lines supplying energy for said circuit, electrical apparatus controlled by current flow in said circuit and normally operating said coin register device in response to each such reduction in current flow, and interlocking means associated with said electrical apparatus and preventing operation of said coin register device after said power supply lines have been opened and reclosed until normal current flow has been reestablished in said control circuit.

14. In coin controlled apparatus, an electrically operated coin register device, a coin receiver, a photocell receiving a beam of light adapted to be momentarily interrupted each time a coin is received in said receiver, a photocell circuit in which current flow is materially reduced each time said light beam isinterrupted, a thermionic tube having an anode-cathode circuit and a control grid connected to a point in said photocell circuit whose potential is increased by a reduction in photocellcurrent, whereby current flowinthe anode-cathode circuit is momentarily increased in response to each such reduction in photocell current, a second thermionic tube having an anode-cathode circuit and a controlg'rid con nected to a point in the anode-cathode circuit of, the first tube Whose potential is decreased by an increase in current flow in said circuit, whereby current flow in the anode-cathode circuit of the second tube is momentarily reduced in response to each' such increase'in' current in the corre sponding circuit of the first tube, a normally closed relay in the second mentioned anodecathode circuit held in open position by normal current flow in said circuit and momentarily closed by each such reduction in said current, and an electric circuit operating said coin register device in response to each such closure of said. relay.

15. In coin controlled apparatus for operating a controlled device, a photocell, an exciter lamp positioned to project a beam of light thereon, means adapted to guide a coin in a path intersecting the path of said beam of light at a plurality of points on the path of said beam, a photocell circuit, and electrical apparatus operated in response to current changes in said photocell circuit and adapted to operate said controlled device.

16. In coin controlled apparatus, a coin chute having a plurality of coin passageways arranged in substantially parallel planes and adapted for coins of different denominations, said chute having light passageways therethrough arranged transversely to said planes, one of said light passageways intersecting coin passageways for two of said denominations and adapted to be blanked by coins passing through either of the coin passageways so intersected, and one of said light passageways similarly intersecting the coin passageway for the higher of said two denominations only, means directing light through said light passageway, and photocell means receiving said light after its passage therethrough.

17. In coin controlled apparatus, a coin chute having a plurality of coin passageways arranged in substantially parallel planes and adapted for coins of different denominations, said chute having light passageways therethrough arranged transversely to said planes, one of said light passageways intersecting coin passageways for two of said denominations and adapted to be blanked by coins passing through either of the coin passageways so intersected, and one of said light passageways similarly intersecting the coin passageway for the higher of said two denominations only, means directing a beam of light successively through all of said apertures, and a photocell receiving said beam after its passage through the last of said apertures.

ANDREW B. CHRISTENSEN. 

